Photo: Sophy Kohler

Park City Gardens, formerly known as Park City Nursery, has been a staple of the community for more than 40 years. Housed on a charming historic homestead from the 1800s owned by the Snyder family—a local ranching legacy—this friendly garden center has grown into much more than just a greenhouse. With its blend of history, greenery, and passion for all things plants, Park City Gardens is ready to help you prepare your beds for the sunny months ahead.

Sophy Kohler, a transplant to Utah, took ownership of Park City Gardens in 2016 and carries on the legacy of the business and historic homestead with notable care and enthusiasm. “I was obsessed with this place, just like a lot of customers,” Sophy shares. “I love all nursery and plant shops. It is therapeutic for me. Being part of the community is also a great aspect of getting to be here.”

Adding to its charm, the space now features a year-round café in the building that housed the first general store in Park City, Pace-Archibald General Store, where patrons can relax with a coffee or a cup of tea surrounded by lush plants and blooms. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or someone looking to bring life to your living space, Park City Gardens is a hub of creativity and community.

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Preparing Your Garden for Spring and Summer

With winter all but behind us and warm weather in sight, now is the perfect time to give your garden beds some TLC. Proper preparation can make all the difference in ensuring your plants thrive during the growing season. Sophy has shared her top tips to get your garden ready.

Amend Your Soil

After a winter’s rest, your soil may be starving for nutrients. Sophy recommends adding some gypsum and composite to your beds in the spring to replenish what your soil may have lost. “If you live by anywhere that has had to be salted for winter ice, it gets in the soil and makes it lifeless, super hard, etcetera,” Sophy adds. Park City Gardens offers various soil amendments tailored to the needs of local gardeners.

Choose the Right Plants

“We have our ‘bread and butter’ recommendations for where we live. We have many contributors like elevation, high wind areas, and animals,” says Sophy. “Being water-wise is also important to some; we have many options for this as well.” Opt for easygoing perennials, vibrant annuals, and perhaps even a plot of edible herbs. “People are always so surprised by certain plants that grow well and that are also water-wise,” she adds.

Select a Visual Range

For a truly showstopping garden, consider the eyeline. Creating a gradual line with your eye, start with a ground cover, then move into a medium-sized perennial and a tall iris. “That way, it is nice and soft, and there is usually some blooming activity going on,” Sophy recommends. “Thinking about the seasons and going with nature is also important.”

Don’t Forget Maintenance

Spring planting is just the start. To keep your garden lush and thriving through summer, commit to regular watering and fertilizing. And don’t underestimate the need for a sharp pair of shears to trim, deadhead, and keep everything tidy and healthy. “Flag Days [Labor Day, etc.] are great reminders to go out and do some fertilizing. We like a slow-release fertilizer,” Sophy says. “We recommend Milorganite, early spring.”

Visit the Café—Stay for the Community

After handling the tasks of gardening, why not reward yourself with a visit to Park City Gardens’ quaint café? Open year-round, it’s the perfect spot to grab your favorite drink and unwind among the flowers and greenery. “We want to invite people into both the history and the property,” adds Sophy. It’s an indoor oasis with great coffee—a place where people can connect over their shared love of nature.

Park City Gardens also offers workshops throughout the year to help you sharpen your green thumb. Whether learning the basics of planting, mastering the art of floral arrangements, or exploring houseplant care, these events are designed to foster skills and community alike.

Some of our favorite “water wise” plants, ones you wouldn’t expect to thrive at a PC altitude/climate. An asterisk (*) means the species can eventually go native once established (3-5 years).

TREES AND SHRUBS:

*Canada red cherry
Amur maple
Apple
Crabapple
Spruce
Assorted pine (Bristlecone, Scotch, Austrian, Pinyon, Mugo, Ponderosa)
*Sagebrush
*Serviceberry
*Chokecherry
*Peking cotoneaster
*Siberian pea shrub
*Golden currant
*Snowberry
*Buffaloberry
*Apache plume

FLOWERS AND GROUNDCOVER:

Creeping Oregon grape
*Snow-in-summer
Sedum, assorted varieties
Thyme
*Artemisia
Lamb’s ear
Dianthus
Phlox
Oriental poppy
Salvia
*Yarrow
*Kinnikinnick
Campanula
Hollyhock
*Echinacea
Daisy, assorted varieties
*Centaurea
Aster
Iris, bearded
*Daylily
Goldenrod
Columbine
Wild geranium
Ice plant
Penstemon, assorted varieties
Lavender
Coreopsis
*Sandwort
*Peony
Bishop’s weed
Sweet woodruff